ACTION ALERT: Agunah Rally in Baltimore
CALL TO ACTION: PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION
SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2006 - 10:30 AM
3600 LABYRINTH ROAD (PARK HEIGHTS AND LABYRINTH)
Baltimore, MD
SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2006 - 10:30 AM
3600 LABYRINTH ROAD (PARK HEIGHTS AND LABYRINTH)
Baltimore, MD
Vaad HaRabbonim Rabbinical Council of Greater Baltimore19 Shevat, 5766
February 17, 2006
To The Members of the Baltimore Jewish Community:
We are writing regarding Mr. Efraim Ohana. Mr. Ohana has conducted himself in a mannor that is unacceptable and that will not be tolerated within our community.
As such we declare Mr. Ohana persona-non-grata within our community and instruct the community to refuse him entry into our shuls and homes until he corrects this situation.
Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer
President, Vaad HaRabbonim
Signed on behalf of Vaad HaRabbonim
***********************************
Letter from the Vaad HaRabbonim of Greater Baltimore has been issued towards Mr. Efraim Ohana of Baltimore, MD which states that he should be refused entry into all shuls and homes.
Mr. Ohana has refused to give his wife a Get
A peaceful demonstration is scheduled in front of his home
on Sunday, June 18th at 10:30am
With the support of
Rav Yaakov Hopfer
President, Vaad HaRabbonim
Rav Shraga Neuberger
Magid Shiur, Ner Yisroel
Rav Moshe Hauer
Rav, Congregation Bnai Jacob ShaareiZion
Rav Hershel Schachter
Rosh Yeshiva,Yeshiva University
Please do everything within your power to attend the upcoming rally!!!
We hope and pray that Mr. Ohana will give the Get in a timely manner as required of him by Jewish Law.
***********************************
Dear Friends of CHANA and all those interested in justice,
On Sunday June 18th at 10:30am your presence is needed in support of an abused woman.
Under Jewish law, only a man can grant a divorce. When he refuses the woman lives her life as an agunah, literally chained to her past and her husband no matter how abusive or unfaithful he has been. She is not allowed to date or remarry and her children are often viewed as coming from an unhealthy situation and not a good choice for friendship or marriage.
CHANA has a client who has been in this untenable situation for quite some time. She has been granted a divorce by the state of Maryland. Several Protective Orders were granted by the District court due to abuse to her and her children by the ex-husband. The Circuit Court of Maryland found that the husband voluntarily impoverished himself (abandoned a $50,000 a year job) in order to avoid paying child support. He testified under oath that he had several sexual affairs while he was married.
Still, as a last bastion of control over this woman, he refuses to give her a get (Jewish divorce). The Vaad HaRabbonim (group of Orthodox Rabbis) of Baltimore have issued a statement that this gentleman is not complying with his obligations and until he does so, should not be welcomed into other Jewish homes, businesses or places of worship. Still the man refuses to give his ex-wife the freedom to move on with the rest of her life.
ON SUNDAY JUNE 18 AT 10:30 AM AT 3600 LABYRINTH ROAD (PARK HEIGHTS AND LABYRINTH) THERE WILL BE A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION.
The object will be show this individual that his behavior is not acceptable and that the community wants her to be unchained from him and given the justice that everyone deserves.
The demonstration is being organized by Get Ora, an organization in New York that advocates for women in these situations. Information on the group can be found at www.getora.com.
Please consider doing this mitzvah.
posted by Jewish Survivors at Thursday, June 15, 2006
8 Comments:
I read this and I'm speechless. Do you think that the Vaad HaRabbonim will write a similar letter regarding Rabbis Eliezer Eisgrau and Yaakov Menken?
oops forgot these dudes only have allegations of sexual abuse. They weren't married to their victims. Never mind.
Where is Rav Aron Feldman on this issue?
Heard from a reliable source. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ohana signed an agreement to mediate in Bais Din and Mrs. Ohana breached this agreement many times over by pursuing all avenues in civil courts. Mr. Ohana had been appealing to Bais Din to have the issues heard and Mrs. Ohana refused to go. Rabbi Hopfer could not issue a siruv so he wrote a letter defaming Mr. Ohana. Apparently the organization CHANA, which is a branch of Associated Jewish Charities has been applying political pressure.
rabbi's son,
really? and what drugs are you taking?
Mr. Ohana repeatedly refused to go to Bais Din claiming that all the rabbis heard of his infidelities and problems with abusive behavior. Only after the civil court case, where the judge issued trmendous judgements against Mr. Ohana did he suddenly agree to go to Bais Din (after making his wife ait THREE years!). He only agrred to go if Mrs. Ohana agrred to give up all of the rights she was awarded in court. How convenient for him to manipulate both systems, no? Your "reliable source" has conned you!
my reliable source says that even after he got everything he wanted - including the makeup of the bais din he requested - he refused to give a get - said she should die an agunah
my reliable source said that the rabbis heard his demands and said he could have what he wanted - at the last minute he asked for ten million dollars
Rabbi Samuel Ohana (Efraim's father in California) granted a man (who was withholding a get) from his wife, permission to marry yet another woman! I wonder how much he got paid. Read the article in Ha'aretz! I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
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